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Columbia City is a small community in northeast Indiana, covering an area
of 5.21 square miles. It has a population of 8,750 as of
the 2010 census. Columbia City
serves as the seat of
Whitley
County.
It is generally unknown who the first official
settler in the region was, but it is thought to be a man
named Asa Shoemaker, who settled at Big Spring Creek in what
is now Columbia Township in 1837.
Columbia City
was founded in 1839, one year after the formation of Whitley County.
It was originally called “Columbia,”
but in 1854, a desire rose to have the post office and city
conform in their name. The post office at the time was known
as “Whitley Court House,” as there was another
Columbia
in the state. A public debate presented many potential names
for the city, but it was eventually reduced to two;
“Beaver,” in honor of a noted Native American whose
reservation took up much of the nearby area, and “Columbia City.”
In the end, the name was decided to be Columbia City
by three votes.
Columbia City
would remain a very small town until the completion of the
Pittsburgh,
Fort Wayne, &
Chicago Railway in 1856. This and other roadways completed
later into the city caused a rapid growth in population,
attracting businesses and settlers. From 1860 to 1875, the
population tripled.
Columbia City’s population would continue to grow
over the coming years into the present day, as businesses
came into the area. Over the years,
Columbia
City has been known for
the production of different things, such as automobile parts
and plastics, and was at one time the largest producer of
blue jeans in the world. Throughout the years,
Columbia City has maintained a relatively stable
economy, and remains a great place to find a job.
The Columbia City flag, as seen above, is on display
in the Council Chambers in City Hall. It shows
Columbia
City’s position as the seat of Whitley County, represented by the image of the
Whitley County Courthouse. Also shown are the surrounding
cities of Churbusco, South Whitley, Larwill, and Coesse.
Columbia City
rests within 25 miles of
Fort Wayne,
Indiana, making it a great place
for companies to do business.
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